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Wednesday, February 06, 2008

First, let me just say, I do not claim to have particularly good taste. I don't tend to watch artsy films or heavy drama. I'm big on escapist fare that is there solely for entertainments sake.
Yes, I am a shallow movie goer.
But like a lot of people, I love a good movie. Sometime they make me think (maybe against my will....) and if they're really good, they stay with me awhile. Here are some movies that rocked my little world--it's not a purely sci-fi list, more of just a reason to make a list and say, yeah, that was a good one.....
Star Wars
Well, since this is a sci-fi oriented blog, I should try to make a small attempt to stick the theme. "Star Wars" is one of the first movies I can actually remember seeing in the movie theatre. It was a big deal too. I remember there was a huge line and we ended up sitting in one of the front rows. This was the first sci-fi film I ever saw, and obviously it made a huge impact. As a kid I loved R2-D2 and C3PO but as an adult my heart belongs to Han Solo. To this day I am still impressed at how well crafted this movie is, from its special effects to its coming-of-age story.
Rocky
This is another movie I saw in the theatre when it came out and even though I was very young I couldn't help but be inspired by this wonderful underdog story. Whether you like Sylvester Stallone or not you have to admit he created an iconic character with Rocky Balboa. There is just something so earnest about the character that I'm still touched to this day when I watch the movie. As a kid I loved the fact that Rocky fought the big fight but as an adult I'm struck by the surprising complexity of the story-- from Rocky's simple logic to the love story between Rocky and Adrian. Truly one of my favorites.
Indiana Jones
We saw this movie when we got rained out during a camping trip when I was about 11; best camping trip ever. I think this movie is what made me love action films. Harrison Ford plays Indiana with such humor and charisma that I think I am always looking for that same kind of character every time I go to the movies-- sadly, most of the time I don't find it. And Harrison Ford wasn't the only great thing about this movie. It was adventurous and intelligent and I wish more films were made like this. I can't wait for the new one...
Pulp Fiction
I was going to college in Japan when this movie came out and a friend of mine went to see it. I remember him telling me about it and saying, you've got to see this movie! It's not like anything you've ever seen before. And he was right, it blew me away. Quentin Tarantino films are not for the faint-of-heart as I learned when I saw "Pulp Fiction," but there is something captivating about his style nonetheless. I am not a particular fan of bloody-violence but I couldn't help but find this movie fascinating. The way it alternated between rapid-fire dialogue and sudden violence made some of the casual brutality all that more shocking. I found this movie so intriguing that I took my mom to see it-- though I told her when not to look. (She liked it too...)There are so many scenes in this movie I could quote from too....
Jules: Now Yolanda, we're not gonna do anything stupid, are we?
Yolanda: You don't hurt him.
Jules: Nobody's gonna hurt anybody. We're gonna be like three little Fonzies here. And what's Fonzie like? Come on Yolanda what's Fonzie like?
Yolanda: Cool?
Jules: What?
Yolanda: He's cool.
Jules: Correctamundo. And that's what we're gonna be. We're gonna be cool. Now Ringo, I'm gonna count to three, and when I count three, you let go of your gun, and sit your ass down. But when you do it, you do it cool. Ready? One... two... three.
[Ringo sits down opposite Jules]
Yolanda: All right, now you let him go.
Jules: Yolanda, I thought you said you were gonna be cool. Now when you yell at me, it makes me nervous. And when I get nervous, I get scared. And when mother*****rs get scared, that's when mother*****rs accidentally get shot.
Yolanda: You just know, you touch him, you die.
Jules: Well, that seems to be the situation. But I don't want that. And you don't want that. And Ringo here *definitely* doesn't want that. The Matrix
I loooooved this movie when it came out. This movie has it all, great special effects (so much so that I think it's become one of the most parodied movies ever) and an intelligent plot. I love to mock Keanu Reeves and his wooden acting but I still think "The Matrix" is fantastic. I love Trinity and her leather pants and Morpheus with his glasses that defy gravity just by staying on his face. The special effects are dazzling and the shoot-outs are the best ever. One of my favorite movie lines of all time....Trinity: "Dodge this."
Batman Begins
Director Christopher Nolan will forever be my hero for resurrecting a franchise that could have easily died with George Clooney. This is Batman as it was meant to be. It has all the great things we love in a comic book movie: super-villains, gadgets and a larger-than-life hero. Christian Bale is the perfect Batman in my opinion. I love the determination and menace he brings to the role. The only thing that takes away my enjoyment of this franchise is the untimely death of Heath Ledger. He looks to have been amazing in the role of the Joker and I'm sad we won't be seeing more of him.
The Silence of the Lambs
This movie impressed the heck out of me. I am fascinated by serial-killer thrillers in a weird kind of way and I think Hannibal Lecter had a lot to do with that. I read the book before I saw the movie and usually that's a bad idea since movie adaptations rarely hold up to the book. But Johnathan Demme did a terrific job of sticking to the original story. Anthony Hopkins was outstanding as the erudite Lecter and Jodie Foster hit just the right note as Clarice Starling.
Terminator & T2
I didn't see the original "Terminator" until after it had been out for several years. I remember hearing people talking about it but honestly wasn't that interested at first. Then I happened to catch it on TV one day and I couldn't believe what I had been missing. The first "Terminator" was obviously done on a budget and it just goes to show that you don't need a high gloss on an action film to deliver something special. James Cameron somehow managed to find just the right role for Arnold Schwarzenegger and his accent. Who knew? I also love the evolution of Sarah Connor from the first movie to the second.
Blade Runner
Hmmm, another Harrison Ford film.
"Blade Runner" is one of those movies that you might underestimate if you don't really sit down and watch it. My husband just isn't into it but I don't think he's ever given it a proper chance. It's dark and depressing on the surface but when you allow yourself to sit and take it in it's captivating. This movie takes one of the most intelligent looks at artificial intelligence and the world as it could be one day. I watch this one every now and then and I always discover new layers to it.
Casino Royale
I always liked James Bond movies but this one made me a true believer in the character. I was really doubtful when they first cast Daniel Craig as Bond but he brought a tough-guy edge to the role that taught me to never, ever question that he was made for the role. I am so glad that the producers of the Bond franchise have decided to do away with the sillier aspect of old Bond movies and let the character shine as a gritty, flawed man. The next Bond film is waaaay high on my "most anticipated" list.
Okay, I think I'm done indulging myself for one day. :) These are the movies that I go back to often and never get tired of. Maybe they're not exactly classics, but they are to me I suppose.
So what makes your "must-see" list?

10 comments:

Hey I have to say I love you list. Everything on there are favorites of mine. I have a movie site but it focuses on a highly anticipated new release. Right now I am focusing on Batman Dark Knight. You should check it out www.fanmoviereviews.com. I would also like to ask you if you want to do a link exchange. I think it would benefit us both a lot. thanks daniel

Escape from New York is a top contender for me. I have to agree wholeheartedly with your choices of Blade Runner, Indiana Jones, Star Wars and Pulp Fiction (I'm a huge Tarantino fan, although he needs to stop having parts in his movies). I'll have to add American History X just because of the serious mindf**k of it. And The Fifth Element, because it seems I can never grow tired of watching it.

Great list. I agree with most of them. Star Wars, Indy, The Matrix, Batman Begins, Terminator and Casino Royale are among my favorite films. The others are great too (Blade Runner, Silence of the Lambs, Pulp Fiction, Rocky), but in my mind not as "Wow" as the other ones. I think that's because I only saw them after everybody was saying they were great films.

The others from my list are: The Prestige, Serenity, Memento and Equilibrium.